Fender 1960 Strat MP Relic DR

Fender 1960 Strat MP Relic DR review

The Fender 1960 Strat MP Relic DR is a limited-run, U.S.-made, Strat-style electric guitar finished in Dakota Red. Its listed price is 5290, and the supplied specifications place it in a vintage-inspired design category, with a rosewood fingerboard, three hand-wound single-coil pickups, and a Relic finish. The product has been available since March 2026. No customer reviews are available, so this assessment is based only on the stated features. It cannot establish how an individual instrument sounds or feels in use.

Body, neck, and fingerboard

The body is alder, with no separate top listed. Fender specifies a bolt-on, quarter-sawn maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard. The 648 mm scale is also listed as 25.51 inches. These are concrete construction details, but the data does not specify neck shape, neck dimensions, fingerboard radius, or finish on the neck. Those details matter to personal fit and playability, so buyers should confirm them with the seller rather than assume a particular profile from the model name.

The guitar has 21 narrow, tall frets and a bone nut. The fret description identifies their general format, but there are no measurements for fret width or height, and no setup information. Fender also does not provide details here about fret-end treatment or the factory action. Those omissions do not establish a problem; they simply limit what can be concluded from the available specification sheet.

Pickups and controls

Pickup configuration is SSS, meaning three single-coil pickups. The more specific listing identifies them as three hand-wound Custom Shop 60/63 Strat pickups. The control layout includes volume and tone controls, plus a five-way switch. The data does not state the exact switching combinations, the function of each tone control, or the pickups' electrical measurements. It is therefore possible to describe the pickup type and control hardware, but not to make reliable claims about output level, frequency response, or tonal character.

There is no tremolo listed. That is an important distinction for players comparing this instrument with Strat-style guitars equipped with a tremolo system. The specifications do not describe the bridge hardware or provide further information about tuning stability, string spacing, or adjustment range. Check the detailed product listing or ask the seller if those points affect your choice.

Finish, hardware, and included case

The finish is described as Relic, and the stated color is Dakota Red. This identifies the finish style and color name, but the data does not explain the extent or placement of the aged appearance. The guitar also has a three-ply mint green pickguard. No other hardware color or material details are included, so a close product image or written confirmation may be useful if matching a specific visual setup is important.

A case is included. The listing separately says that a bag is not included, so the case is the supplied carrying option according to the available information. The guitar is marked as a limited edition and a limited run. No production quantity or end date is provided, which means the scale of the run cannot be determined from these specifications alone.

What the specifications establish

• Construction: Alder body, bolt-on quarter-sawn maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, and bone nut.
• Playing dimensions: 648 mm scale and 21 narrow, tall frets.
• Electronics: Three hand-wound Custom Shop 60/63 Strat single-coil pickups, volume and tone controls, and a five-way switch.
• Configuration: No tremolo is listed; a case is included, while a bag is not.
• Origin and run: Made in the USA and identified as a limited edition.

Buying considerations

At a listed price of 5290, the model's appeal will depend heavily on whether its specified construction, pickup set, finish, and limited-run status match what a buyer wants. The product information offers a useful outline, but leaves several practical questions unanswered, including the neck profile, fingerboard radius, exact bridge details, setup, and the extent of the Relic finish. Buyers should verify those points before ordering, particularly if they have firm preferences about neck feel or hardware.

The available facts support a clear description of the instrument, not a performance verdict. Without customer feedback or independent hands-on testing, there is no basis to report how this guitar plays, sounds, or compares in practice. Its strongest documented points are the quarter-sawn maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, three hand-wound pickups, Dakota Red Relic finish, and included case. Treat the remaining playing and tonal questions as items to confirm, not as established qualities.